Russia's Minister of Emergency Situations Vladimir Puchkov said the country's bomb shelters are being checked to ensure they are in working condition.

Puchkov said on August 14 that his ministry has its "fixed attention" on making sure Russia's bomb shelters are "ready to use for their intended purposes."

Puchkov's comments come one day after Communist Party members in the State Duma, the lower house of parliament, questioned whether all the shelters were still functional.

Puchkov said upgrades of bomb shelters were being carried out in coordination with regional and local authorities and added that he had given instructions that any shelters not maintained by the government should be brought under public control.